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Hi everyone! I’m excited to kick off our next series, focused on endurance sports and triathlon training. Over the past few years, I’ve completed multiple half marathons, half Ironmans, and a full-distance Ironman. With this experience, I feel confident sharing insights on how to excel in endurance sports while staying injury-free. I’ll also cover the importance of incorporating preventative exercises into your routine to enhance performance and longevity. Let’s dive in!
Jumping into endurance training without a solid plan can lead to setbacks, so it’s important to approach it strategically. Depending on your current fitness level, it’s best to start slow and focus on building a strong foundation. Rushing into intense training too quickly often results in overtraining and injury. Here are a few essential tips for the early stages of endurance or triathlon training:
1. Base-Building Zones: Begin with 90% of your training in Zone 2 heart rate. This aerobic zone, where you can comfortably hold a full conversation, is key for building tissue resilience and supporting cardiovascular recovery. Once a solid base is established, you can progress to an 80/20 training split (80% in Zone 2, 20% higher intensity).
2. Gradual Progression: Increase your total workout volume by only 5–10% per week to avoid overloading your body.
3. Nutrition and Hydration: Refuel within 30 minutes of training with carbs and protein and prioritize hydration. Use electrolytes such as LMNT or Liquid I.V. to support recovery.
4. Injury Prevention: If you start to feel pain, reduce your training volume by 5%. If the pain still persists, consult with us as AZPI.
By following these guidelines, you’ll set yourself up for success while minimizing the risk of injury.
The swim portion of a triathlon sets the tone for the race. Many athletes struggle with maintaining efficiency in the water, often burning excess energy due to poor form, improper breathing, or unnecessary tension. The key to a strong swim is starting slow with an emphasis on technique, ensuring that each movement is deliberate and controlled.
One of the most critical aspects of swimming is breathing efficiency. Getting comfortable with exhaling underwater and turning to the side for a breath prevents the body from sinking, reducing drag and allowing for a smoother stroke. Proper strength and mobility work can further reinforce this by improving shoulder mechanics, lat activation, and overall body positioning. Below are four essential exercises that will enhance your swim mechanics and endurance.
A strong swim starts with efficient breathing, relaxed but controlled movement, and proper muscular endurance. These exercises specifically target the shoulders, lats, and upper back, ensuring that triathletes can maintain a smooth stroke without excess fatigue or poor mechanics.
By incorporating these movements into your training routine, you’ll develop better shoulder control, stronger pulls, and a more streamlined body position, allowing you to conserve energy and move efficiently through the water. Whether you're training for your first sprint triathlon or preparing for a full Ironman, these exercises will help you start slow, refine your form, and swim with confidence.
The bike portion of a triathlon is where endurance meets efficiency. It requires not only cardiovascular stamina but also lower body strength, core stability, and hip mobility to maintain power output and prevent fatigue. Poor biomechanics, tight hips, or lack of core engagement can lead to inefficient pedaling, increased energy expenditure, and even injuries over time.
To maximize performance and stay injury-free, triathletes should incorporate strength and mobility exercises that improve hip control, lower-body endurance, and core stability. Below, we break down four key exercises that target essential muscle groups for cycling and explain how they translate to a stronger, more efficient ride.
To perform at your best during the bike portion of a triathlon, training must go beyond just logging miles. Incorporating these exercises into your strength routine will help improve hip mobility, core stability, unilateral strength, and quad endurance—allowing you to generate more power with less fatigue. Whether you're tackling steep climbs or holding an aero position for extended periods, these movements will keep you strong, efficient, and injury-free throughout your race season.
The run is the final and often the most grueling leg of a triathlon. After swimming and biking, fatigue sets in, making form breakdown and inefficiencies more likely. To maintain speed and endurance while minimizing injury risk, runners must focus on posture, foot strike efficiency, and lower-body strength.
A key aspect of efficient running is relaxed shoulders with a slight forward lean, which helps maintain momentum and prevents excessive heel striking. To reinforce proper mechanics and prevent breakdown in the later miles, incorporating targeted strength and mobility exercises is crucial. Below, we dive into four essential exercises that will improve running efficiency, reduce impact forces, and enhance endurance.
A strong, efficient run starts with good posture, proper foot placement, and muscular endurance to maintain form under fatigue. These exercises target the key areas needed for triathlon running, calf strength, knee control, hip stability, and core coordination. By adding them to your training regimen, you’ll improve your ability to hold relaxed shoulders and a forward lean, reduce impact forces, and finish strong with a more powerful, efficient stride.
Whether you’re tackling your first Ironman or shaving time off your sprint triathlon, these movements will help you build the strength and stability needed to run faster, longer, and injury-free.
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